Directive on milling splits coffee farmers

By Moses Njagih and Francis Ngige

Several coffee co-operative societies in Central Kenya are on the verge of collapse following intense wrangles over the choice of millers.

On Monday, a senior official from the Ministry of Co-operatives said the issue was alarming, as farmers were demanding a hand in choosing their millers, taken away from them through a directive from the Commissioner of Co-operatives.

She said farmers were against the directive, which gave coffee factory management powers to make a choice without consulting societies.

The wrangles come a few years after similar disagreements led to the collapse of scores of societies whose members were agitating for splits, and barely three years after the Government forced the societies that had split to merge so as to benefit from economies of scale. At least five millers – Nyambene, Central Kenya, Kenya Planters Co-operative Union, Thika Coffee Mills and Socfinaf are lobbying for contracts with co-operatives in the region.

Even the giant Othaya Co-operative Society, which survived the bitter wrangles that led to split of some societies is now on the verge of a major break up following differences on where to take their coffee. The rift has led to the emergence of a splinter group, which wants to take the leadership of the 14,000-member society.

By Monday, officials from the Ministry of Co-operatives were still trying to re-unite the society.

The ministry official said: "The emergence of Nyambene Coffee Mills has heightened the stakes for the control of the multi-million business.

The millers are now aggressively lobbying for the business leading to the divisions."

The senior officer, who declined to be named, said farmers were seeking a reversal of the directive. Among societies affected are Mugaya and Kangiri in Kirinyaga and Murang’a South Districts.

Last Friday, it took the intervention of the police to prevent warring farmers from engaging in a fight after the conclusion of two parallel meetings in Othaya.